JEE Main Seat Matrix 2026: Released on 2 June, Category Wise Distribution and Total Seats 67,323

The Joint Seat Allocation Authority (JoSAA) has released the seat matrix for JEE Main 2026, providing admission to 67,323 seats across prestigious IITs, NITs, IIITs, and Government Funded Technical Institutes (GFTIs). The total number of seats has increased by 4,470 compared to last year, offering more opportunities for engineering aspirants.

• JEE Main 2026 offers admission to 67,323 seats across IITs, NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs through JoSAA counselling.
• IITs provide 18,951 seats, while NITs offer the highest number with 25,162 seats.
• 27% of seats are reserved for OBC-NCL students, 15% for SC, and 7.5% for ST categories.
• The seat matrix was released on June 2, 2026, coinciding with the start of JoSAA registration.
• IISc Bangalore has joined JoSAA 2026 with 4 BTech programmes, contributing to the seat increase.
• NITs follow a 50-50 quota split between All India Quota and Home State Quota seats.
• 5% horizontal reservation for PwD candidates is applicable across all categories.

JEE Main Seat Intake 2026: Overview

JEE Main 2026 provides access to 67,323 undergraduate engineering seats across India’s premier technical institutions. The seat distribution encompasses 23 IITs, IISc Bangalore, 31 NITs, IIEST Shibpur, 26 IIITs, and 56 Government Funded Technical Institutes spread across different states.

The allocation process is managed through two distinct quota systems. All India Quota (AIQ) seats allow students from any state to compete nationally, while Home State Quota seats are reserved for candidates who completed Class 12 from the respective state.

IISc Bangalore’s inclusion in JoSAA 2026 marks a significant development, offering 4 BTech programmes through the joint allocation process. This addition contributes to the overall increase in available seats for engineering aspirants.

State-Wise / Institute-Wise Seat Intake

NITs and GFTIs implement a balanced quota system with 50% seats under All India Quota and 50% under Home State Quota. This ensures both national merit-based selection and regional representation in premier technical institutions.

Major NIT Seat Distribution by State

IITs and IIITs operate under 100% All India Quota, meaning students from any state can compete equally based on their JEE Main or JEE Advanced ranks. This system promotes national-level merit-based selection without regional reservations.

How many seats are in JEE Main?

JEE Main 2026 provides access to 67,323 undergraduate engineering seats across India’s premier technical institutions. This represents a significant increase of 4,470 seats compared to the previous year, demonstrating the expanding capacity of technical education infrastructure.

The seat count is distributed across four major categories of institutions. NITs contribute the highest number of seats with 25,162 seats, followed by IITs offering 18,951 seats. IIITs provide 11,518 seats while Government Funded Technical Institutes offer 11,692 seats through the JoSAA counselling process.

The substantial increase in seats for 2026 is primarily attributed to IISc Bangalore joining the JoSAA counselling process with 4 BTech programmes and expansion of existing programmes across various institutes.

JEE Main Seat Matrix: Category-Wise Distribution

JEE Main 2026 follows the government’s reservation policy with specific percentages allocated to different categories. The reservation structure ensures representation across various social categories while maintaining merit-based selection within each category.

The category-wise distribution applies to both All India Quota and Home State Quota seats in NITs and GFTIs. OBC-NCL students receive the highest reservation at 27%, followed by SC category at 15% and ST category at 7.5%.

The EWS reservation at 10% is over and above the existing categories, while PwD reservation is horizontal at 5% across all categories. This means PwD candidates compete within their respective social categories (General, OBC, SC, ST, EWS) with a 5% horizontal quota.

Gender-based supernumerary seats for female candidates are also available in certain programmes to promote gender diversity in technical education.

JEE Main Seats for NRI/OCI/Foreign Nationals

Supernumerary seats are available for Non-Resident Indian (NRI), Overseas Citizen of India (OCI), and Foreign National candidates in most participating institutions. These seats are additional to the regular intake and do not reduce opportunities for Indian students.

The number of supernumerary seats varies by institution and typically ranges from 10-20% of the total programme capacity. NRI/OCI/Foreign National candidates must have qualified JEE Main 2026 and meet the same academic eligibility criteria as Indian students.

Admission to these supernumerary seats follows a separate merit list based on JEE Main ranks, and candidates must pay higher fees compared to Indian students. The exact number of seats and fee details are announced by individual institutes.

How Seat Matrix Affects JEE Main Cutoff

The number of available seats directly influences the cutoff ranks for admission to various programmes and institutions. With 67,323 seats available in 2026, the increased capacity may lead to marginal relaxation in cutoff ranks compared to previous years.

Higher seat availability in popular branches like Computer Science Engineering across NITs and IIITs means that the closing ranks might extend slightly lower. The 4,470 additional seats in 2026 create more opportunities for students, particularly in the rank range of 50,000 to 1,50,000.

• Top-tier IITs (CSE, ECE, Mechanical) typically require ranks within 1,000-5,000 for General category.
• Premier NITs (Computer Science) generally need ranks between 1,000-15,000 for General category.
• Good NITs and IIITs (various branches) accept ranks ranging from 15,000-80,000 depending on the programme.
• GFTIs and lower-ranked NITs provide opportunities for students with ranks up to 2,00,000 in certain categories.

Category-wise reservation ensures that cutoffs vary significantly across different social categories, with reserved category students requiring comparatively higher ranks for the same programme.

List of courses and seats under JEE Main

JEE Main 2026 offers admission to various undergraduate engineering programmes across multiple disciplines. The major branches include Computer Science, Electronics, Mechanical, Civil, Chemical, and several emerging fields.

Computer Science and related programmes offer the highest number of seats due to industry demand and student preference. Core engineering branches like Mechanical, Electrical, and Civil maintain substantial seat allocation across institutes.

Some specialised programmes like Aerospace Engineering are available only at select IITs, while emerging fields like Data Science and Artificial Intelligence are being introduced across various institutions.

Disclaimer: The seat matrix data provided here is based on official sources and past year records. Actual seat counts may vary. Always verify with the official exam authority before making decisions.